Scandal: The Reckless Series, Book #3 (The Reckless Crew) Read Online Free Page B

starts the water in the sink. In a matter of moments, he’s kneeling in front of me wiping my mouth with one side of the wet cloth and then cleaning the rest of my face.
    “Please, don’t.”
    He ignores my plea and continues moving about the bathroom, taking the basket from me. Kip leaves the room and returns with his phone, typing something out on it. I want to avoid this uncomfortable situation and make a crack about him texting his girlfriend.
    “I’m going to help you stand up.” He laces his arms under mine and pulls me up.
    Without warning, he kneels down and drags up the clothes until they’re firmly around my waist again. His actions don’t help the faucet of tears pouring from me.
    Kip wraps his arms around me and acts as my crutches until I’m back on the bed. He never lets go of me.
    “What’s going on?” A new voice joins the room.
    I jump and let out a screech.
    “It’s my dad, Chloe.” He places a hand down on my shoulder.
    “Everything, okay?” The man scratches his bald head in a white t-shirt and pajama pants. I barely remember his face before falling asleep on the surgery table.
    “I gave her Chinese and she threw up. She’s in pain.”
    “Oh son, you should’ve known better.”
    “She needs to eat.”
    They go back and forth like I’m not even sitting here. I soon feel like the third wheel or a hamster perched in a cage in a scientist’s lab.
    “He’s right. I was hungry and ate too much,” I finally speak up.
    “Go get her crackers, Kip.” His dad steps closer to me. “Minus salami and cheese.”
    The doctor shakes his head side to side. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?”
    I look up into his eyes like a doe caught in headlights. I’ve been in worse pain, but the pain is bad. I’m not sure how to answer, so I only shrug.
    “You need something in your belly before I give you more pain meds. Nibble on the crackers when Kip gets back and take these two pills.” He points to some pills he scatters on the nightstand.
    “Thank you.” My bottom lip trembles.
    He bends down and places both palms on my knees. “I’m not sure how to approach this since it’s out of the normal, but know you couldn’t be in any better hands than Kip’s.”
    I nod.
    Kip enters the room with a box of Saltines and cheese in the other.
    “Know you too well, son, only crackers for her. Wake me again if the pain persists.” He gives Boozer a pat on the head before walking out.
    Kip has me in his arms and places me back in the bed, propping pillows up behind me. He places a handful of crackers in my palm and makes his way to the other side of the bed.
    “Try to get at least one down if your stomach can handle it.”
    I begin nibbling on the cracker before I have three of them down. My eyes linger over to the pepper jack cheese Kip’s slapping on his crackers. My mouth waters, missing the taste of cheese on my tongue.
    I pick the pills up from the bed and swallow them down with a little bit of water, not wanting another chaotic puke session. Kip coughs distracting me, so I pass him the water bottle.
    “Thanks.” He gives me a sly smile.
    “I have to keep my nurse happy.”
    He shakes his head, apparently not impressed with being called a nurse. My eyes catch the time glaring from the alarm clock.
    “I’m so sorry.”
    “What?” Kip pops up from the bed. Boozer snags the last slice of cheese as it flies up in the air.
    “It’s three in the morning.”
    “Good hell, you scared me.”
    I laugh lightly. It’s an odd sensation, but warms me. “Sorry, and sorry for waking you in the middle of the night.”
    “I thought you’d shit your pants or something.” He smiles wide and even though it’s dim in the room, his perfect white teeth shine.
    I laugh hard this time, feeling light all of the sudden and very sleepy. I use my good arm to nudge my body lower into the bed. Kip’s up on his hands and knees wanting to help me.
    “I’ve got it. You’ve done enough with potty